From Fear Comes Strength
by xXSilent MelodyXx
Summary: Just a little idea I came up with while watching FMAB Episode 54. Riza has a reoccuring nightmare that keeps her from sleeping. Can our favorite Colonel fix that? Good ol' Royai fluff! R&R my Royai lovers! Oneshot. Takes place in the two unseen years.


**Hello all! It seems my other fics aren't as popular as I would've liked them to be. So I decided to write an FMA fanfic. It's my first so please give me a break! xD I got this idea while watching FMAB episode 54 an hour ago. **

**I hope you enjoy this little piece that I am dedicating to ****Aosugiru Sora****, a very good pen-pal ;P So I hope you like it Sora! If you do end up liking this fic please check out my other stories if you like the fandoms. And Sora is a great writer so check out her stories too. You won't regret it!**

**-Silence**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA in anyway. If I did things would be way different…**

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From Fear Comes Strength:

Everyone had something to be afraid of. Whether it be spiders, death, or anything in between, Riza Hawkeye had yet to meet anyone without a fear. She was afraid of a few things herself.

Ever since her encounter with Pride, she was afraid of the dark somewhat. She was scared of losing Rebecca, Black Hayate, and Roy; especially Roy. Riza didn't like having fears. Growing up, no one taught her fears showed you were human, they could empower you, and they could be overcome.

The first lieutenant never showed weakness in front of others. Even in front of the first Homunculus, she had kept her cool, and showed no fear, despite her inner turmoil. However now, in this dark hospital room, the shadows were large and her vivid dream had made the almighty Hawk's Eye, quake.

She closed her eyes and attempted to control her breathing. She absent mindedly fingered her neck bandage softly. After what felt like hours, Riza calmed herself, and lied back down. She shifted several times trying to make herself comfortable, but to no avail. Whenever she closed her eyes, that absurd reoccurring dream would flash behind her closed eyelids.

It was the same dream she had since she had come to the hospital after Edward Elric had defeated Father, everyone's number one enemy. Medics had been called and the injured had been taken to the nearest hospital. Riza's neck wound, as she remembered, had opened again and blood seeped between her fingers as she tried to clot the blood.

She and her Colonel had been in the same room after the doctors were finished tending to her wounds. Then Doctor Marco had come and fixed Jean Havoc's legs and Roy Mustangs eyes. Once he could see again, her Colonel had been allowed to go. His hands wounds could heal at home.

He had been reluctant to leave for the sake of his First Lieutenant but she shooed him away. There was too much to be done for him to wait around and wait for her to get better.

Now more than ever, Riza kicked herself for making him leave so soon. She wanted his presence, badly. She was not so fortunate to leave early and was currently stuck in a hospital, waiting for the doctor's okay to leave. Riza sighed deeply at her misfortune and rubbed her eyes tiredly. At this time, Riza wanted human contact, someone to talk to. Even Black Hayate would be better than this!

Riza sat up and opened the window of her room, breathing in the crisp night air as she did so. Getting some air always helped calm her down, even if she wasn't actually outside. A breeze drifted in the room and Riza shivered. Walking back to bed, she crawls in and rests on her good side. Her shoulder hurts and makes her sliced neck throb painfully.

Finally feeling at peace, Riza closes her eyes. Ignoring the pain, that is now dulling, Riza falls back into numbing slumber.

"_What do you think you're doing Lieutenant?" Comes his harsh voice, when she cocks her loaded gun. It is directly pointed at him and his fingers are poised for a final snap. He glares at her from the corner of his eye. The gun is pointed right at him, and Riza stands straight with a hint of worry gracing her features. His foot is pinning down his greatest enemy, Envy. _

_His eyes are crazed, no not crazed, _murderous_. She knows how long he has waited to get his hands on the homunculus, so that he may avenge Maes. Hughes had been his best friend and his whole reason for getting involved with this conspiracy. Riza knew this and wanted her Colonel to get revenge just as much as he did, but not at the cost of his morality. _

"_That's enough Colonel. I'll deal with him from here." She replies sternly. His face does not change and he does not seem like he wants to agree._

"_One more blast will finish him. Put down your gun." He orders, not taking his gaze off of little green monster under his foot. Her grip tightens on the gun._

"_I cannot obey that order, sir. Please put your hand down." She disobeys with a plea. His hand raises level to his face, and lightening visibly crackles along his fingertips._

"_Stop screwing around! I said put it down!" He orders once again with a roar. Suddenly a familiar blue flash comes toward them along the ground. The floor transmutates under the Colonel's feet and Envy is flung in the air, where the Fullmetal Alchemist catches him with his automail arm. _

_Roy glares in their direction and Riza looks to the side to see Edward with Scar at his side, and Envy clutched in his palm. The Colonel politely asks for Edward to hand him over. He refuses and the forgotten lieutenant watches as lightening crackles again. The gun is still pointed at him._

"_I must give him the worst of all deaths." Roy says and Riza knows he has lost himself in hatred. Again the boy refuses to cooperate and Roy threatens him. Edward unflinchingly dares him to try. He tells Roy to look at what he's become and reminds him that's not what Amestris needs from their next leader. Much to Edward's displeasure and Riza's surprise, Scar does not agree. It would've been hypocritical. _

_Roy's posture does not change. Though Scar's next comment is enough to make Roy's eyes widen and an intake of breath to be heard._

"_Colonel, I cannot allow you to kill Envy." The lieutenant finally decides to help convince her Colonel to not go through with a mistake. Before he can say anything, she continues._

"_That being said, I do not intent to let him live. I will dispose of him, sir." She finishes. The lightening has not stopped crackling and there is no change in Roy's posture. _

"_I finally did it! I finally ran him down!" He exclaimed, addressing her again, though without turning around. He seems too convinced to kill Envy, she fears._

"_I know!" She agrees, cutting off anything else he'd wanted to say. And she did know._

"_But still…" She pauses and her hand begins to shake._

"_But still, what you are about to do is not to help the country or your friends! It is to vindicate your hatred." She reasons. She notices now, he has lowered his hand slightly and some realization dawns on him. _

"_That is all that consumes you. I cannot allow you to descend to that level!" She continues, remembering her promise to him, all those years ago. Roy's teeth grind and a growl works it's way out of his throat. He pauses, and she knows, in the back of her mind, Hughes is the one thought dominating his. He tightens his fist and swallows harshly. Riza prays, to any god that is listening, he will gain control again and not make her do the one thing she fears most._

"_I'm sorry." He whispers to her and with that he snaps. Flames erupt from his fingertips and Edward's arm is engulfed, as well as Envy. The promise she made to him replays a thousand times in Riza's head and she closes her eyes and looks away with tears streaming down her face The second Roy's hand goes lax from the snap Riza shoots._

_Roy drops and Riza turns the gun on herself. She promised she'd shoot him. She knew she would keep that promise, even if she didn't intend to live afterwards. And with a final goodbye look to Edward, she pulls the trigger. _

Riza gasped awake, for the second time that night. She rubs her eyes, and isn't surprised to find them teary. The clock on the wall, she makes out, says three twenty-four. There is no light outside and Riza knows it is still early morning.

She chokes on sobs and stumbles out of bed. She leaves her room and makes her way down the hall. The phone, if she remembers is in the waiting room. She struggles to swallow as she pushes the double doors open. The phone is right next to the entrance and she shuffles toward it. Her breathing has calmed down, but the tears haven't stopped. Seeing her Colonel forced into the gate and having her neck cut had scared her, a lot. But seeing that _look_ in his eyes had terrified her, to the point where she shoots him in her nightmares.

She dials the only number she knew by heart. Part of her screams to hang up, that she was being ridiculous, but her heart told her to call, if just to hear his voice. The phone rings six times and before Riza hangs up a mumbled voice picks up.

"Hello?" Her Colonel's tired voice drifts in her ears. She hears him yawn and holds back a cry of relieve at the familiar, normal, voice of his.

"Colonel." Is all she says before she sniffles and gives thanks to the heavens for his well being.

"Riza? Is that you? What's the matter?" His tired voice turns to concern as he realizes his caller. She wipes her tears and sniffles again, ignoring the lack of titles. Riza did not call as an officer, merely a trouble friend.

"Yes sir, it is me. And nothing is the matter, I just…" She trails off feeling childish and foolish for her actions. She sighs and hopes she doesn't sound too much like a baby.

"A nightmare?" He asks, as if reading her mind. She makes an affirmative sound. The line goes silent and Riza hears the creak of a bed and rustling.

"What was it about? You sound terrible." He offers her comfort and she takes a seat in the nearest chair. She sighed.

"It was nothing important. I just needed to hear your voice." She admits quietly. She hears an outtake of breath. "Sorry, by the way." She adds for good measure. No one could be happy if they got a call at this hour of the night.

"It's no big deal. And if it's my voice you want to hear, I could tell you the dream I was having." He offers and she smiles at his kindness. This was the Mustang she knew, and grew to love. Compassionate and kind, not murderous and evil like the one that plagued her dreams.

"I'd like that, Colonel." She says and draws her knees to her chest. This was what she needed. His voice in her ear as she curled up. Though a hospital waiting room was not what she had in mind. There was a pause and more rustling of sheets. Riza only guessed he was lying down.

"Save the formalities Riza. It's not like we need to be extremely careful anymore." He reminds with a small laugh. She smiles and agrees. She had never addressed her Colonel as Roy. It might be hard to not slip up, but she could get used to calling him that. There was silence for another moment before Roy spoke up again.

"Well I was the Fuhrer, for starters." He began and Riza smiled. It wasn't just his dream that held that goal.

"I had a loving wife and a son. We were all having breakfast when a general came in and announced that Ishval repairs were completed and at the moment Ishval and Xing trading posts were up and running." He continued with a wistful voice. Riza giggled. This dream sounded wonderful to Riza.

"Sounds like the perfect dream." Riza agreed feeling giddy all of the sudden. The way Roy was explaining it sounded like more of a vision of the future instead of just a dream. It would be a wonderful future.

"But the best part was my family, I was about to kiss my wife when you woke me up by the way. My son's name was Maes and can you guess who my wife was?" He continued with a bubbly voice of his own. Riza smiled sadly. Somehow she knew Roy would name his son that. As for his wife, she had no clue. She almost didn't want to find out.

"Who Roy?" She asked when she couldn't guess. Roy smiled on the other end of the phone. He knew Riza would never count herself as a candidate of future wives. He almost felt sad that she hadn't included herself.

"You." He breathed when she asked him to tell her. The line went silent and Mustang realized he had, in his own way, confessed to her. He knew she loved him and he hoped she knew he felt the same. It was painfully obvious and it seemed with all that happened it wouldn't be all that big a deal to start a relationship.

"Roy." Riza warned her Colonel. On the inside she was jumping for joy but they had to be safe. Even though they had gotten rid of Bradley, the military was still a big issue for them. Riza mentally pictured Roy rolling his eyes.

"I don't care about them. Everyone who was involved with Bradley won't be in the military any longer and I'm a shoe in to be Fuhrer. And if not, all the other senior staff like me so once they're gone I'm confident I'll be on top. But for now I want you. So please be my permanent aid. When the time is right, marry me, Riza." Roy rambled quickly. He was so sure about it, down right definite.

Riza was shocked to say the least, but she was happy. She hadn't expected that but it made her blissful. Roy Mustang had proposed to her! She calmed her breathing and tried to hide the giddiness.

"Yes. But only once you become Fuhrer. I won't marry anything below." She said with a cool 'Riza-like' tone. Roy laughed on the other end.

"I wouldn't expect anything else, love." He said with a smile. There was silence. The one thing both lovers knew best. There was no 'I love you' because there didn't need to be any. The both knew all those things in their hearts. Now all they had to do was survive until then, and they'd get a happy ending.

"Good night, Roy." Riza whispered feeling suddenly drowsy. The both needed rest for the days to come if they planned to live up to their agreement. She stood up and stretched, ready to head to her room before the doctors got up. She didn't know the time but the first signs of light seemed to shine in the sky.

"Good night, Riza. Sweet dreams." He said and with that he hung up. Riza hung up as well on her end and shuffled back to her room. Climbing into bed once again Riza lied down with a smile.

Naturally there were always things to be frightened of. For Riza Hawkeye there were more than enough things to keep her awake at night from nightmares. But for now, in this moment she was happy. Roy Mustang was her dream catcher for the night and she wouldn't have it any other way.

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**Oh my goodness! That took forever! I swear I had planned it to be shorter. No I feel like I've rambled and it ended badly. Please review so I can get feedback. **

**Also I'm sorry if the dream part was too long, I copied what happened from that episode to make the dream more vivid. Please let me know what you think. Your opinion matters!**

**-Silence**


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